Automatic valve device.



C. N. SHEPARD.

AUTOMATIC VALVE DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1913.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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wan team C. N. SHEPARD.

AUTOMATIC VALVE DEVICE.

APPLICATION F1120 APR.10, 1913. I

' Patented M1113, 19115.

2 BHEETSSHEET 2.

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. CHARLES N. SHEPARD, 01E ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

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\ Ewpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apt. is, refs.

Application filed April 10, 191.3. Serial No. 760,246.

fluid ordinarily gas is controlled by the action of ,another fluid such as water and the ordinary use of such valve is in connection with instantaneous heaters wherein the action of the water controls the gas.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows Figure 1 shows a view of the valve in congnection with the heater, the heater being in an outline andthe controlling device in-elevation. Fig. 2 a central section of the controllin device. Fig. 3 a section onthe line 3-3 in ig. 2, showing a restricted orifice in section. Fig. 4 a section on the line H in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 a view from the bottom of the controlling device.

1 marks the water inlet or supply pipe. It extends into the T 2 from which the pipe 3 leads to a coil 4 and the outlet fromthe tilt coil is indicated at 5. This passes to a coupling 6 and from the coupling to a T 7 A discharge pipe 8 is connected to the 'II' and supplied with the ordinary discharge faucet 8 Gas is supplied through the pipe 9 and is directed from the controlling device by way of the pipe 10 to the mixer 11- and from the mixer 11 to the burner 12. It will be understood that the burner and coil are really more in the nature of a diagram than the form ordinarily utilized in instantaneous heaters. The controlling device is arranged in a body 13. The gas supply pipe 9 enters an opening 14. A central passage 15 extends upwardly above the opening 14 and the valve 16 -is slidingly mounted in the opening 15 The valve has the seat 17 on itsface which operates on a seat 18 in the body. An opening 19 leads. from the passage 14 and forms a means of communication to the outlet passage 20 wlth which the pipe 10 is connected.

A plunger 21 is arranged in an opening 21 extending downwardly from the passage 20: The plunger extends upwardly through.

I the passage 19 and is so shaped in that portion-extending through the passage 19 as to leave an opening between the plunger and the walls of the passage 19 at all times as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The plunger has the head 22 which operates against the diaphragm 23, the diaphragm being arranged in the high pressure head 24 on the body 13.

A cap 25 is secured to the head 24 by screws 26, the cap securing the edges of the diaphragm in the usual manner. The cap 25 has the opening 27 andthe nipple 28 is arranged in this openin and connects the T of the supply pipe 1 with the chamber withm the cap 25. Water at inlet pressure, there fore, is delivered to the face of the diaphragm 23 at all times. The low pressure head 29 extends from the upper end of the body 13.

A diaphragm 30 is arranged on,

this head and operates on the head 31 at the upper end of the valve 16. A cap 32 is secured to the head 29 by means of the screws 33 and the diaphragm 30 is secured in place by the cap 32 in the usual'manner; The cap 32 has anopening 34: and the nipple 35 is arranged in this opening and connects the chamber within the cap 32 with the T 7 of the discharge line. The face of the diahrag'ln 30 is, therefore, at all times subected to the discharge pressure. 1

It will be noted thatthadia hragm 30 has ,aa greater area than the diap ragm 23 and that these exert opposing pressures on the valve, the diaphragm 3O exerting pressure directly on the upper end of the valve and v the diaphragm23 exerting pressure on the valve through the plunger 21. It is evident, therefore, that when these pressures are equal that the diaphragm 30 will exert a greater force on the valve than the diaphragm 23 and it will, therefore, force the valve to closed position. When, however, the faucet 8 is opened and the pressure in the discharge line falls below that of the inlet line sufiiciently to more" than make up the effect of the difference in area of the diaphragms, the preponderant pressure on the diaphragm acting through. the plunger 21 will force the valve to'open position and thus turn on the gas. When the faucet 8 is closed, the pressures on the two diaphragms will, of course, balance and the valve will c ose.

Thev frictional resistance of the coil may be utilized .to effect a difiere'nce in the inlet and discharge pressures so as tooperate the valve. In any event,,it is preferable to utiliz e this frictional resistance in effecting this result. In order that this may be made ad- "justable and at the same time the flow of water through the heater be adjusted I prefer to provide a restricted orifice 36. This is arranged in-a collar or disk 37 which is secured between the ends of the pipe in the coupling 6, see'Fig. 3. Thisrestricted orifice will effect a difference of pressure which maybe utilized in actuating the valve. I

prefer to have this adjustable by means of a valve 38 which operates with relation to a seat 39 on the disk 37. It has a stem l0 which extends through the orifice 36 and the shoulder 41 which revents a complete dischar e from the ori ce.

I pre er to provide an adjusting screw 42 with a handle 43 which extends through the -'when it is cut ofl by a stop and-waste cock (not shown), the weight of the valve 16 in itself will be suflicient to shut off the gas line. This is especially true because the initial closing of the valve would be accomplished by a, difference ofrpressure in the diaphragm 23, it being the closure to the drain. 0 make this closure more positive,

-I prefer to have the valve '38 in the form of a check valve so that. where the Water is drained from I the part of the inlet pipe, the water in the pipes leading to the discharge is retained through the action of the check valve so as to exert pressure on the diaphragm 30 and thus more securely closes the valve- 16.

What I claim as new is Y 1. In an automatic valve device, the combination of a gas valve; 2. gas burner controlled by the gas valve; opposing diaphragms of difi'ering areas for actuating the gas valve, the diaphragm of smaller area being toward the inlet; and means delivering liquid to the smaller diaphragm and conveying the liquid to the larger diaphragm and to a point of discharge, said means comprising devices oflering resistance to the flow of liquid between the diaphragms and subjecting the liquid passing between the diaphragms to the gas burner.

2. In an automatic valve device, the combination of a gas valve; a gas burner con trolled by the gas valve; opposing diaphragms of difl'ering areas for actuating the gas valve, the diaphragm of sma er area being toward the inlet; and meansd livering liquid to the smaller diaphragm and conveying the liquid to the larger diaphragm and to a point of discharge, said means comprising a coil offering resistance to the How of liquid between'the diaphragms, said coil being subjected to the action of the burner for heating the liquid. 7 c p 3. In an automatic valve device, the combination of a gas valve; a gas burner controlled by the gas valve; opposing diaphragms of differing areas for actuating the gas valve, the diaphragm of smaller area being toward the inlet; means delivering liquid to the smaller diaphragm and conveying the liquid to the larger diaphragm and to a point of discharge, said means comprising devices ofi'ering resistance to the flow of liquid between the diaphragms and subjecting the liquid passing betweenthe diaphragms to the action of the burner for heating the liquid; and a check valve arranged between the diaphragms and closing through the action of the flow of liquid toward the inlet.

4. In an automatic valve device, the combination of a gas valve; a gas burner controlled by the gas valve; opposing diaphragms of differing areas for actuating the gas valve, the diaphragm of smaller area being toward the inlet; means delivering liquid to the smaller diaphragm and conveying the liquid to the larger diaphragm and to a point of discharge, said means com prising a check valve ofiering resistance to the flow of liquid between the diaphragms and subjecting the liquid to the action of the burner in its passage between the diaphragms for heating the liquid; and .mechanism for adjusting the check valve to vary the resistance.

5. In an automatic valve device, the com bination of a gas valve of suificient weight to close against the normal gas pressure; a gas burner controlled by the gas valve; opposing diaphragms of differing areas for actuating the gas valve, the diaphragm of smaller'area being toward the inlet; and meansdelivering. liquid to the smaller diaphragm and conveying the liquid to the larger diaphragm and to a point of discharge, said means comprisin devices ofi'ering resistance to the flow of liquid between the diaphragms and subjecting the liquid in its passage between the diaphragms to the action ofthe burner for heating said liquid.

6. In an automatic valve device, the combinationofa body having a valve passage therein and a valve seat; a weighted gas valve arranged in the passage and operating' on the seat; a gas inlet pipe leading tothe seat a gas discharge pipe leading from the valve seat; a gas burner connecte with said discharge pipe, a high-pressure iaaaoea head ex tending from the body and having a diaphragm therein; a plunger communicating-the movement of the diaphragm to the valve; means for suppl in liquid having an inlet connection to t e igh-pressure head; a low-pressure head extending from the body and having a diaphragm therein actuating the gas valve and opposing the high-pressure head, the diaphragm of the low-pressure head having reater area than the diaphra of the big-pressure head; a passage connecting the twodiaphragms comprisin a coil in position to be acted upon by t e gas burner to heat the liquid; and means in the connecting passage ofi'ering resistance to the flow of liquid therethrough.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Wimesses:

]B} M. Hanru, J. J. SCHWARTZ. 

